Family-oriented event to focus on fun and community awareness
The Habersham County United Way is gearing up for its annual fundraising campaign kickoff this weekend. The event will be held from 11 a.m.-1 p.m. on Saturday, August 24, at the Historic Train Depot in Cornelia.
The kickoff is free and open to the public. There will be activities and games, free snacks, and the Cornelia Splash Park will be open for kids (of all ages) to enjoy. In addition to family fun, the event will offer an opportunity for Habersham Countians to learn more about the local United Way and the agencies it supports.
Change Today, Hope for Tomorrow
The theme for this year’s fundraising campaign is Change Today, Hope for Tomorrow. “Without funds raised by the Habersham County United Way, allocations to agencies to provide services would not be possible,” stresses United Way Public Relations/Social Chair Margie Sirmans. And those services can be life-changing.
Among the 21 non-profit agencies the local United Way supports are agencies that help victims of rape and domestic violence, families that are homeless, and children who have been sexually abused. Other agencies provide educational and other life-enhancing services such as teaching people to read, providing food, free health care, and financial support to those in need. Current partner agencies include the 4-H Club, Boy Scouts of Northeast Georgia, Children’s Center for Hope & Healing, Circle of Hope, Family Resource Center, Foodbank of Northeast Georgia, Foothills Counseling, Girl Scouts of Historic Georgia, Grace Gate, Habersham Christian Learning Center, Habersham County Libraries – Clarkesville & Cornelia, Habersham Homeless Minitries, Habersham Senior Center, Habitat for Humanity, Northeast Georgia Casa, Power House for Kids, Red Cross NE Georgia Chapter, Rape Response, Sharing and Caring, Sisu (formerly Challenged Child and Friends), and Volunteers for Literacy
All of the agencies are vetted and must pass rigorous requirements in order to be accepted as United Way agencies. Each year they must present detailed financial information and program reports to the United Way’s board of directors to ensure they’re working to meet their mission and serve the community.
Sirmans has been with United Way for over twelve years as both a volunteer and member of the board of directors. Through her service she’s seen firsthand the impact United Way and its partner agencies have on people’s lives.
“It makes me feel good to be associated with HabUW, to know that folks who donate can be assured that their valued and hard-earned contributions are allocated to agencies through a thorough community allocation process to help meet the need of those in need,” Sirmans says.
A different approach
In the past, the Habersham County United Way Board of Directors has set and publicized its annual fundraising goals. Not this year. Board President Heather Sinyard says board members decided to take a different approach. “We have an internal number that we need to reach to maintain the current level of what we do in the community right now. What we don’t want to do, is limit the potential to raise more than a set goal,” explains Sinyard.
While the board won’t be talking fundraising numbers this year, one number the board continues to stress is “99¢”. They want the public to know that 99¢ of every dollar given to the Habersham County United Way stays in Habersham to provide services to the local community.
In addition to supporting partner agencies, the local United Way also uses money it raises to fund special program grants. This year United Way gave grants to the LIFT after school tutoring program at Habersham Central High School; Freedom Hill Recovery Home for Women; and the northeast Georgia-based equine therapy program Reins of Life.
“Unfortunately, the needs in this community continue to grow and we want to do all we can to raise as much money as possible to help as many people as possible,” says Sinyard. “We want to be able to offer one-time grants for programs, help the agencies we support offer new programs or even help new agencies provide programs that aren’t offered by the agencies we currently support.”
The fundraising campaign will run through the end of February but the Habersham County United Way welcomes and accepts donations throughout the year.
